Vanity: As Expected

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://katorgaworks.bandcamp.com/album/dont-be-shy-lp"&amp;amp;amp;gt;Don't Be Shy LP by Vanity&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;Buy from Sorry State

When sitting down and trying to absorb this new Vanity record, it was difficult to pin down one "Hot Track" because there's so much material to discuss on this record. How fitting that the song I chose is entitled "As Expected," because this song does not represent the genre-bending, bold new territory that the rest of Don't Be Shy boasts. As soon as I heard that opening guitar though it stood out, and I found myself coming back to this track. This being the second track on the album, it's almost like after hearing a taste of their new direction, they just had to give up a song that kicks in with this energy that's so immediate and catchy.

Maybe it's just me, but I tend to gravitate toward songs on records that are inexplicably satisfying and memorable to my songwriting taste buds. Unlike other interesting moments on the record, there's no acoustic guitars, no brit-pop sensibility, but I would still describe this as a departure from Vanity's first couple releases. There's no real Oi! to be heard here. Rather, this almost comes across like a forgotten gem from a 70s power-pop B-side.